There are two kinds of martinis: gin or vodka. They are never served with ice! (Nor should they be shaken, at least not much, lest you bruise the vermouth). They can be garnished with olive, onion or lemon peel.

Your bartender should have been taken out back and drawn and quartered for what you got!

Next time ask for "a gin martini, straight up, with onion". If the waiter questions that ask for a manager, its seriously *not* ok for a cocktail waitperson or a bartender to not know the basics. A martini is like a burger - sure there are some variations, and some hot sandwiches that look like burgers that aren't actually burgers, but a line cook needs to know the original!

There are two kinds of martinis: gin or vodka. They are never served with ice! (Nor should they be shaken, at least not much, lest you bruise the vermouth). They can be garnished with olive, onion or lemon peel.

Your bartender should have been taken out back and drawn and quartered for what you got!

Next time ask for "a gin martini, straight up, with onion". If the waiter questions that ask for a manager, its seriously *not* ok for a cocktail waitperson or a bartender to not know the basics. A martini is like a burger - sure there are some variations, and some hot sandwiches that look like burgers that aren't actually burgers, but a line cook needs to know the original!

What she said ^^^

I order an Dirty or Extra Dirty Bombay Sapphire Martini with olives NOT onions. If Sapphire is too expensive I'll drink Tanquery. Rail gin in my experience tastes like gasoline and burns holes in my digestive tract.

Me and vodka don't get along anymore. There was an *ahem* incident. I drink gin because I can feel it going down.

Dirty means to add olive juice to the mix. Extra dirty is just extra olive juice. I like the salty tangy mix of the olive juice and gin mixture

Shaking it is not just about cruising the vermouth (or gin if you ask some people) it's about chipping the ice. Chipping the ice dilutes it. Which is why Bond asks for it shaken, he doesn't want I get too drunk.

I am not a bartender. I am not even a drinker. I couldn't tell you what was in a martini until this thread, though I do know that it usually has an olive in it. At least that was how my Papa drank them. However: if there is one thing that I do know about martini's it is this: You do not put ICE in the GLASS!

I agree with Willy Nilly. Taken out back and drawn and quartered. Barring that: get him retrained! If that is ineffective, get him away from the bar!

Tanqueray martini, straight up, no garnish. Olives make me gag, unfortunately, and only a couple of the bars we go to have twists available readily. Sometimes I'll ask for a wedge of lemon if I know it's available.

As a former bar manager I would have been appalled if a staff member of mine did not know how to make a decent dry martini! I mean, a new kid might have to refer to a cheat sheet for dimensions (our bar called for three parts gin, one part vermouth, in a cocktail shaker and swirled a bit so as not to bruise the vermouth or chip the ice, strained into a chilled glass and then a speared olive/onion/twist of lemon or orange peel as per customer request) but honestly. If you're unsure, ask your manager or if you really have no idea, ask the customer to step it out for you.

When I was first bartending, almost 10 years ago, now, I had a guy ask for a Rusty Nail (incidentally one of Husband's favourite drinks!) and I had no idea what it was, and it wasn't on our list for some reason. So I just asked - how do I make you one of those? I've never heard of it! The guy was more than happy to explain how to make it (double of Jack Daniels Single Barrel, single of Drambuie, over ice with a glace cherry dropped in) and complimented me on asking rather than risking screwing up a customers' order and wasting valuable booze.

Some years ago, FIL was in Germany and ordered a dry martini. He was served three vermouths.

I don't understand... like you mean... straight up glasses of vermouth? or vermouth shots (do people even do those?)

This was in the 1960s when American cocktails weren't well understood in continental Europe. In many places, vermouth was a common order. It was served in the same sort of glasses as sherry and Martini was a popular brand. Also, in Germany, 'dry' was understood as 'drei'. It was a reasonable mistake under the circumstances.

I'm one of those who likes the foo-foo "martinis" which, I agree, only resemble a real martini in that they are served in a martini glass. However! I still do know what an actual martini is, and would be appalled if I ordered one and got the response you got.

What I would have done would be to ask for the drink menu. Places which serve a lot of foo-foo martinis are bound to have one. And usually, the first item, right at the top of the list, is a regular ol' normal gin & vermouth martini. So if you'd been able to obtain a drink menu, 99% chance you could have just pointed to the top item and said, "martini". I then would have flashed a smile and possibly made a comment regarding how it might behoove the waiter to learn what's on his menu. After I'd had a martini or two, that is.

When I was first bartending, almost 10 years ago, now, I had a guy ask for a Rusty Nail (incidentally one of Husband's favourite drinks!) and I had no idea what it was, and it wasn't on our list for some reason. So I just asked - how do I make you one of those? I've never heard of it! The guy was more than happy to explain how to make it (double of Jack Daniels Single Barrel, single of Drambuie, over ice with a glace cherry dropped in) and complimented me on asking rather than risking screwing up a customers' order and wasting valuable booze.

The rusty nail was one of the first 'non-bartending school' drinks I learned. Rusty Nail = Don't Step, D for Drambuie, S for scotch

Ice doesn't go in a martini at all. That's why you chill the glass and its double strained.

Exactly. A customer knows if they getting a good martini before the first drop of alcohol is poured, because the first step in making a martini, is to ice the martini glass. Then one goes on to mix the cocktail, dump the ice from the glass, then serve. (Although I do think its ok to mix a bit of ice into the drink then strain it into the glass, to get it super cold - so long as you are quick about it, it should not be a problem.)

On another note, any bar that can't make you a margarita is seriously lacking as well. Martini's and margaritas (real, classic margaritas not strawberry-mango slushie things) are the two basic cocktails every bartender should know and be able to make (well that and a "[liquor] and [mixer, like soda or juice]"). They are representative of the classic mixed cocktail recipes - almost all cocktails follow the same basic ratios of ingredients. Once you know the 5 or 6 basics, you can mix & match from categories and always make a good drink from thousands of combinations.

Well, I guess I am going to be the voice of dissent. While I don't drink a Martini on the rocks I do know it is a legitimate and recognized drink, but no bartender should ever assume to serve it that way as a default. I had a friend who liked them on the rocks. She liked the strong flavor for the first sip and then to have the ice slowly dilute the drink as she nursed it.

Here's a summary of basic martini's. Your bartender's only questions to you was he should have confirmed you wanted a martini and not a vodka martini and what type of garnish you wanted. He might have also asked if you wanted it a little dirty. Or if it a martini bar that specializes in things like appletinis, lemon drops, or other types, he should have handed you a menu. (I always ask for 3 olives... one to eat right away and the other two to continue to "marinate" until I'm finished with my drink.

Shake on ice until cold and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 1 or 2 stuffed green olives. A dash of orange bitters is optional. The quantities in ( ) will nicely fill a 4 ounce cocktail glass.

If you serve the above recipe in an old fashioned glass with ice, it is a "Martini on the rocks."

Martini, Dry6 parts Gin (3 ounces)1 part Dry Vermouth (.5 ounce)

Shake on ice until cold and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with 1 or 2 stuffed green olives. The quantities in ( ) will nicely fill a 4 ounce cocktail glass.

Put 1 ice cube in an old fashioned glass (a cheese glass will do in a pinch). Pour in about 1 ounce of dry vermouth, slosh it around and dump it out. Add about 2 ounces of gin and a stuffed green olive. Cheers!

Mix just like a standard Martini (above) except vodka is substituted for gin. Can also be ordered "dry" or "extra dry," just like a real Martini, which a Vodkatini is NOT. A true Martini only has three ingredients (counting the olive), and vodka isn't one of them. So, to avoid confusing your bartender, please call this latecomer a "Vodkatini" (its original name) or a "Vodka Martini," but never a "Martini."

I judge a bartender on his ability to make a good Sidecar. The glass rimmed in sugar after being well chilled and the drink shaken long enough to create lots of floating ice bits on top. Wish it wasn't 11am because I'd love to go make one now.